Stamford murder suspect now accused of shoplifting

Updated 12:48 am, Tuesday, September 2, 2014

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Shota Mekoshvili, 29, a citizen of the Republic of Georgia is the suspect in the stabbing death of Mahomed Kamal. Kamal, a Stamford taxi driver was killed in a stabbing on Doolittle Road in Stamford, Conn., on Wednesday, August 27, 2014. less

Shota Mekoshvili, 29, a citizen of the Republic of Georgia is the suspect in the stabbing death of Mahomed Kamal. Kamal, a Stamford taxi driver was killed in a stabbing on Doolittle Road in Stamford, Conn., on ... more

Photo: Contributed Photo

Stamford murder suspect now accused of shoplifting

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STAMFORD -- The man accused of stabbing cab driver Mahomed Kamal to death early Wednesday morning is about to be charged with two shoplifting incidents that occurred in August in Stamford, police said Monday.

On Friday at the Stamford courthouse, Shota Mekoshvili, 29, pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and hindering prosecution, and is being held on a $1 million court appearance bond at the Bridgeport Correctional Center.

Capt. Richard Conklin said Monday that based on store surveillance tapes from two supermarkets robbed by a male shoplifter, Mekoshvili has just become a prime suspect in the thefts.

Conklin said that on Aug. 14, at the Ridgeway Shopping Center Stop & Shop, Mekoshvili was seen walking into the store with a backpack. While in the store he was suspected of stealing some merchandise, and when a female security guard confronted him and tried to grab his backpack, he began struggling with her.

Conklin said that during the tussle, Mekoshvili snatched the backpack back, injuring the woman's hand. That theft will result in a third-degree robbery charge because he struggled with the security guard.

In another theft, Mekoshvili allegedly went into a Stamford ShopRite store and stole something from that market, Conklin said.

When asked for comment on the possibility of new charges, Mekoshvili's lawyer, Lindy Urso, said, "While the timing of these shoplifting charges is a bit curious, they will have no bearing whatsoever on the outcome of the murder case."

Mekoshvili was apprehended after a manhunt in downtown Stamford on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after Kamal is thought to have been stabbed to death. The 47-year-old cab driver's body was found along Doolittle Road at about 8:30 Wednesday morning, not far from his cab, which had driven off the road and into the woods. He had been stabbed more than 20 times in the torso. He is survived by his wife and 3-year-old son.